Many college classrooms are a diverse collection of learners of varied age, experiences and abilities. Most instructors will encounter first generation, developmental, and returning students in any given semester. These students often present challenges and are at the highest risk for withdrawing from their programs before completion. These students need something specific from instructors to keep them on a forward path- Care and Connection.
Does this approach require courage and determination? The answer is yes, but it isn’t as scary as it seems. The proposed presentation will discuss how to approach Learners with open, honest and sincere communication. It will not be a prescription for fixing systemic problems or a blueprint for being an educational savior. Instead, it will simply provide a space for conversation about how to share with students the innate gift every instructor has, their humanness, to influence academic results that are positive. The session will also explore the overlap of shared experiences and an instructor’s use of questions, discussions, assignments and follow-up to create a classroom where each student has the opportunity to develop a connection with the instructor that may mean the difference between starting a degree and finishing one.
About the presenterJennifer Angstadt
Lecturer, English, Harrisburg University, Harrisburg PA